RI pension funds get Google’s forfeiture

PROVIDENCE — The Associated Press has learned that two Rhode Island communities will be able to use about $70 million of money forfeited by Google Inc. to fix their police pension shortfalls.

East Providence and North Providence police had helped a federal investigation into the search engine company’s distribution of ads for illegal prescription drug sales. Each community got a $60 million share when Google agreed to forfeit $500 million.

But rules restricted how the money could be spent. The communities asked the U.S. Department of Justice to allow them to use it for pension shortfalls.

A spokesman for Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse told the AP on Friday that the DOJ granted the requests.

East Providence will be allowed to use $49.2 million, while North Providence may use $20.6 million.